July 13, 2020 at 8:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

1.  Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.

2.  Review all credit card transactions for the month

3.  Finance Committee Members Sign-off on review of monthly bills, credit card transactions, and district fund balances.

4.  Approve superintendent's expenses (credit card transactions, mileage, cell phone reimbursement).

5.  Lunch Fund Review-Monthly Lunch Fund Balance Worksheet Attached

6.  General Fund 5-Year June Balance Review

GF June Balance & GF Property Tax Request History

Year/GF Balance in June                      GF Property Tax Request
2020-$4,495,559                                             $5,036,840
2019-$4,639,608                                             $5,050,505
2018-$4,400,326                                             $5,559,406
2017-$3,173,561                                             $5,559,406
2016-$2,387,335                                             $5,231,086

7.  Fund Financial Balance Report June 2020-See Attached

• QCPUF-$175,045 Current Balance
  • Approved Expenditures: $116,064 FINAL PRINCIPAL PAYMENT Payable in 2020-21 Budget Cycle-THAT'S IT!)-You won't have to ask for a tax draw in this fund for budget cycle 2020-21.  That will shave 1.5 cents off of the levy rate and reduce total property tax request by $116,064.  The excess between the $175,045 (current balance) and $116,064 (final bond fund payment) or $58,981 will be transferred back into the General Fund at the end of the 2020-21 budget cycle, like we did when we closed the Bond Fund for the elementary.  We will continue to have this fund operational to continue to collect delinquent tax receipts for a couple of years, just as we did with the bond fund, and then we will close it.  We will also maintain the fund for the upcoming year, for the purpose of paying the "bond fund servicing fee" on the bond. 
  • GOOD NEWS: By December 2020, RPS will be DEBT FREE!  ;-)

 

• Special Building Fund-$689,252 Current Balance
  • Approved Expenditures: Boys Athletic Lockers-$19,500, Blacktop Resurfacing-$4,196, HVAC 60-Ton-$68,800, Concrete Work in the form of football/track athletic entryways, fill in boxed areas on north west corner of entry way, & southwest driveway replacement-$20,000, Track Event Runways Resurfacing-$20,500)-TOTAL $132,996
  • GOOD NEWS:
    • Track Event Runways were totally paid for by the NDEQ Rubber Grant
    • Football retaining wall 2/3'rs of cost was paid for by ALICAP
    • Chimney Removal and roof repair was totally paid for by ALICAP-$3,000 value
    • Boiler re-pipe, 2/3'rs of cost was paid for by ALICAP
    •   RPS will have a very health balance in the Special Building Fund at the start of 2020-21 and will be able to make a MODEST tax request to continue to make building improvements (water heaters, re-key the building, roof, football field) without any huge projects in site and NOT need to enter into bonded indebtedness.  You will have the continued capacity to maintain and upgrade the facilities, without assuming debt to do so.

 

• Depreciation Fund-$191,046
  • Approved Expenditures: Bus-$82,940 (With $42,000 of that coming back into the Depreciation Fund through the NDEQ Rebate)
  • GOOD NEWS!:
    • You bought a half priced bus.
    • You will end the budget cycle with a very healthy balance in your Depreciation Fund & should be able to make a healthy transfer at the end of the 2019-20 budget cycle to energize the fund for the 2020-21 budget cycle.
    • Maybe the best news is your transportation fleet is solid and stable and you won't have to make bus purchases for a while.

8.  High School Wrestling Account-This is a "clean up" item from an accounting perspective.  School money has been co-mingled between the high school wrestling account and the "Jr. Jays Wrestling Account".  That's not a good practice which needs to end.  With the transition of the coaches, it is time to divide the money and move on, which all parties involved have agreed to do.  THIS HAS BEEN CLEARED WITH AND APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S AUDITOR.

9.  "Jr/Sr High Account"-This account is a remnant of the days when the school was purchasing items that were "questionable" in nature, according to the Auditor of Public Accounts.  There has been no activity on the account for several years and there is no conceivable purpose to use it in the future.  The superintendent recommends that we close the account at the bank and transfer the proceeds of the fund to the General Fund use. THIS HAS BEEN CLEARED WITH AND APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S AUDITOR.

10.  Payroll Ledger Review

11.  Insurance Billing Review

12.  ACH Payroll Review

13.  FEMA & ESSRS Money-The superintendent has created the FEMA Application and is waiting for the CARES act application to begin working on it.

Rationale: 

Members of the Public, 

This is the portion of the board meeting when we invite anyone in attendance to address the board of education. If you would like to speak to the board regarding any of the items on tonight's agenda or a public concern, now is your opportunity to do so.  Please review the orange sheet (found on the visitors' chairs) of paper that contains the guidelines for public participation.  If you wish to speak to the board at this time, please let me know.  "Would anyone like to address the board at this time?"

 

AFTER THE PERSON(S) INDICATE(S) THEY WISH TO SPEAK

1.  Please stand and state your name?

2.  What topic will you be speaking on?

3.  Are there others in the room who wish to speak to the same topic? (If so, ask that they be recognized so that 30 minutes of time for public comment can be apportioned as per the policy-5 minutes per person).

4.  Optional-"Please understand that public comment is your opportunity to speak to the board and present your concerns, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations.  Members of the board are happy to hear from members of the public, but the board will not engage in conversation or dialogue with you during public comment."

4.  "You'll have approximately 5 minutes to address the board, as we allow 5 minutes per person and a total of 30 minutes for public comment.  You may begin when you are ready?"

 

 

 

Rationale:  Congratulations to this month's ABC Bluejay Staff Member of the Month, 

Other nominee's included:
 

Rationale:  Current balance: $5,949.11 

Rationale:  Since the first reading of these policies, only "4003-Drug Policy Regarding Drivers," has been altered in any way.  The superintendent worked with the 3-party contractor who provides the drug testing services for drivers and the school district's attorney to ensure it complies with federal regulations and contains the correct protocols for testing drivers who are suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Rationale:  The school's law firm suggest we "reaffirm" this policy to designate the method we use to provide notice of meetings to the public.  The policy has not changed from last year, but we need to record in our minutes that we have approved the policy regarding our designated method of providing meeting notices to the public.

Rationale:  The board is required to hold an annual hearing and review its parental involvement policy (Policy #5018).  After the review they may adopt it in its current form or make changes as needed.  The school district's attorney and the administration are not recommending any changes to the policy.

Rationale:  The school board must review its Title I Parental Policy Annually and provide input from parents during the policy review.   Input from the parents who reviewed the policy and provided input, in conjunction with Mr. Anderson, are attached to this agenda item.

Rationale:  The board is required to annually review its student fees policy (#5045) and the amount collected in student fees during the last school year.  The school district collected $0 in student fees during the 2019-20 school year.   Student meal prices for the 2020-21 school year and the new state mileage rate have been updated in the revised, attached policy.

Rationale:  The board must review its bullying policy (#5054) annually.  The current copy is attached in addition to the suggested revised copy from the superintendent and the school district's attorney.

Rationale:  The board must review its attendance and excessive absenteeism policy (#5001) annually.  The school district attorney and administration are not recommending any changes to this policy.

Rationale:  1.  Contractor Update

• Lockers Installed
• Asphalt Repaired
• Chimney is removed & waiting on Jerry's to re-pipe it
• Lighting work in the theater (ballast & bulbs)-moving along
• Window work has commenced
• 60-Ton Unit-No started
• 20-Ton Unit warranty repair (bad compressor)-covered in full
• GLOBAL PLASMA AIR TREATMENT SYSTEMS-See Attached

2.  Property Values Spreadsheet Attached:

• -0.97% for Buffalo
• -4.18% for Sherman

3.  Budget & Tax Receipts-Article Attached

4.  Budget DRAFT & Line Item Budget-Attached

• Based on the preliminary calculations in the BUDGET draft the superintendent thinks he can lower the GF tax asking by $212,214 and the Special Building Fund tax asking by $77,151 and will not have to request any tax asking for the QCPUF Fund.  The total tax asking should be in the neighborhood of $5,000,000 compared to $5,405,527 from 2019-20.  This would represent approximately $405,527 in the TOTAL tax request for the school district's tax payers.
• By lowering your GF tax asking, the board will be spending down some of its cash reserve and we can certainly anticipate lower tax receipts, but your current cash balance can sustain both.
• You would have to have 20% of your tax receipts be delinquent before you lost a million dollars in tax receipts.  In a typical year, delinquent tax receipts for the district are only around 8% or $400,000, assuming a $5,000,000 tax request.
• This is THE year to help out the taxpayers as much as we can.

5.  Historical Data on Tax Request & Tax Receipts-Attached 



Monthly Superintendent Goals Update:

Academic Achievement
-Worked on academic "return to learn plans" for school year 2020-21
-Met with ESU 10 Staff to prepare teachers during pre-service for anticipated school closures and continued academic planning during the 2020-21 school year

Vision
-Worked on return to learn plan for school year 2020-21

Community Relations
-Attended RDEC Monthly Meeting, as a board member
-Continue to serve at Community Representative for Chamber of Commerce
-Took the REDC interns canoeing down the mighty South Loup River








 

Rationale:  Thanks to the administrative team and to the staff members (teachers and support team) who helped shape the "Return to School Plan."  The plan is well thought out and helps provide for the safety of our students and staff. 
-Misti Fiddelke

Two Rivers Health Department has done a fantastic job of providing the school district with guidance throughout the pandemic.  They are always there to answer a call, field questions, and provide the school district with clear information regarding the pandemic.  -Superintendent Schroeder